A Very Long Night
by TheEffectstOfBoredom
Summary: He supposed he didn't have to go. After all, it wasn't like he owed her anything. Still, as Ayumu Aikawa was coming to realize, even deranged psychopaths needed a bit of love every now and then.


**Crack pairing? Maybe, but I've found myself liking Kyoko's character more and more. This is just my little slice of madness, taking place after the end of the anime's season two. **

**WARNING: This story contains Lemon. Proceed at your ow****n**** risk.**

_Kore wa zombie desu ka belongs to its rightful owners. I own nothing. _

* * *

It had been a long day for Ayumu. He was no stranger to the strain of living under his unique circumstances. After all, being both a zombie and a Magical Garment Girl (something made all the more awkward by the fact that he was male) meant that almost every day brought with it a menagerie of new, humiliating developments that he would inevitably find himself at the center of.

Even so, spending the entire day outside in the middle of a heat wave to work on a school project was pushing it just a bit.

What would have been a swelteringly unpleasant experience for any normal person was nothing less than a vision of Hell for the unfortunate undead. The past twelve or so hours had been spent dashing from shady spot to shady spot, using all manner of makeshift shelters to keep himself out of the direct sunlight. All the while, having to repeatedly come up with explanations to his fellow classmates as to why he was running around like some kind of terrified ferret.

Coming home at least had been a relief. See Eu's calm smile, Haruna's excited smirk, and Sera's… well… seeing Sera, was a balm for the strain that he'd accumulated over the course of the day.

It was a pity he couldn't stay for long.

As Ayumu toiled away in the kitchen, making preparations for something he'd been trying to avoid thinking about, he couldn't help but lament his luck.

It would be so nice to just lay back and relax for the rest of the night. To kick off his shoes, sit down with his friends, and just enjoy the evening before lying down in bed. Organizing two boxed meals in identical assortments, he reflected on just how simple that would be.

He didn't _have_ to go. Not really. Nobody, not his friends or his classmates or even the eyes of the law would have forced him to go if they knew the circumstances. He was even willing to bet that the three girls watching television in the living room would actively prevent him from doing it if he told them. But he'd made a promise, and breaking it would feel wrong.

Even if that promise had been made to the very same person who'd murdered him.

Sighing, he put the finishing touches on the pair of meals. They might not have been on par with Haruna's famous eggs, or one of Yuki's lovingly crafted school lunches, but they'd work.

Ayumu stowed the both of them in a carrying bag, taking a mental check to make sure he wasn't missing anything he'd be needing. A quick pat on his pocket assured him that the directions were still stowed inside.

_You can still back out… _He thought to himself. _You know that this can only end badly, so there's no reason you can't choose to avoid it._

It was a nice thought to entertain even if he already knew he wouldn't be acting on it. Gaia enjoyed toying with him, and if he turned away from this challenge, he had no doubt something even worse would come for him somewhere down the line. His karma was bad enough already despite his best efforts to keep it intact.

He turned away from the kitchen, bag in hand, and started off towards the last major hurdle he'd have to cross before starting his trial.

Stepping out into the living room, he was greeted by the sight of Haruna, Eu, and Sera gathered around the television while some flashy anime was playing out on the screen. The petit Magical Garment Girl was enraptured in the overly dramatized conflict, squeezing a pillow within an inch of its nonexistent life as her eyes fixated themselves on the TV.

She must have heard him coming though, as the moment he came into the room she began frantically gesturing over her shoulder with one hand.

"There you are dumb Ayumu!" She said, beckoning in his general direction. "Hurry up! You're going to miss the best part!"

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to have to pass on this one." He replied, smiling at her energetic behavior. "I've got something I need to take care of tonight."

"Something that requires two box lunches?" Seraphim questioned, her sharp eyesight immediately picking out the contents of his carrying bag. "Just what kind of repulsive activity do you have planned this late at night?"

A light tapping sound drew Ayumu's attention as Eu held up her notepad for him to read.

'A date?'

The image of the silver haired necromancer sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, an adorable pout on her face, flashed into his mind.

"_Onii-chan…" She pleaded, her voice tinged with a mixture of worry and disappointment. "Is there another girl you're not telling me about…?"_

It was times like this he was thankful that zombies had far better control of their muscles, as the mental picture just about turned his legs to jelly. Thankfully, this was an eventuality he'd planned for in advance, knowing that there was little chance of slipping out unnoticed.

"Nothing like that." He assured, giving a good-natured chuckle. "The second one's for Orito. The two of us need to put in some extra time working on a class project, so I thought I'd bring something to eat along in case it went long. And, you know, I think they'd be box dinners at this point."

It seemed his minor joke had the desired effect. Sera turned back to the television, satisfied with his answer enough to dismiss any thought of further questioning.

"Well don't stay out too late." She said. "Lady Hellscythe worries when you do."

He was about to reply when Haruna's rapidly shaking had cut him off.

"Shhhh! Can't you all be quiet?" She asked forcefully, directing a thoroughly annoyed glare his way. "I've been waiting all day to see this and you're talking over it!"

Ayumu simply smiled and rolled his eyes as the girl turned back to her program, immediately lost in the flashing lights and colors. While the Magical Garment Girl and the vampire ninja became absorbed in the story of the anime, Eu held out another note for him to read.

'Stay safe.'

"Thanks." He replied, his smiling widening. "I will."

With a final wave goodbye, he left the room and stepped through the front door out into the mercifully cool night air. As soon as he shut it behind him, a sigh shook his frame and his shoulder visibly dropped as the weight of the sack bore it down.

He didn't like lying to them. He really didn't. It wasn't like he was doing anything particularly life threatening, but even so, misleading his friends left him with an unpleasant feeling in his gut.

Reaching into his pocket, Ayumu picked out the note that he'd received from Head Teacher Ariel. The directions that would lead him to where he needed to go had been scrawled out in neat handwriting after the two of them had spoken on the phone. If he was honest with himself, he'd have thought she'd have denied his request outright, but Haruna's instructor continued her streak of surprising him by not only agreeing but actually helping to organize the whole thing.

Ayumu took a deep breath, savoring the comfortable temperature of the air around him as he walked. It was nice to be out alone like this every now and then he supposed. He certainly didn't dislike the company of his friends, but that didn't mean he could always keep up with them. Sometimes a guy just needed a chance to catch his breath.

As his footsteps tapped against the concrete sidewalk in a steady rhythm, he found his thoughts starting to drift. His body automatically followed the instructions that had been written out while his mind drifted to other topics.

Such as the fact that his nighttime ventures rarely went well.

Some part of him couldn't shake the feeling that this whole thing was just another way of reliving the day he'd rushed into that house, drawn by an unseen cry for help. The circumstances were far different, but his destination left him with a sort of tension that simply refused to listen to logic.

Not that his premature disemboweling had been the only late night mishap he'd been subjected to. After all, the first time he'd met Haruna had been long past dark and she'd ended the encounter by chainsawing him in half. Accidentally of course. Supposedly.

Then again, the day could be just as dangerous. He'd been hit by a truck, gotten into a fistfight with another exceedingly powerful zombie, faced off against his fair share of Megalos, and that wasn't even starting to touch on the number of times Sera had administered her own particular kind of punishment to something he did…

Now that he thought about it, Ayumu couldn't help but wonder how he'd managed to survive for so long before getting stabbed in the back.

With a small grumble, he shook his head and dispelled the thoroughly depressing thoughts from his mind. There was no real point to dawdling on the topic of his lack of survival skills. Thanks to Eu, he wouldn't have to worry about that.

Coming to a halt beneath a streetlight, he checked over the directions again. He frowned as he read them over, glancing at his surroundings to be sure he wasn't mistaken.

That was odd. According to what he'd been told by Ariel, the ride that would take him where he needed to go should be right here. He folded the paper and returned it to his pocket, doing another survey of his surroundings. Sure enough, he was still alone and the only other things around him were a payphone, a picnic table on the edge of a park, and what looked like an old storage building.

He was missing something, surely. He doubted he'd got the timing wrong. After spending so much time actively trying to avoid thinking about this, he'd subconsciously engraved the date and time of it on the surface of his mind. By now, even if he'd forgotten about it entirely, his unconscious would have reminded him with a plethora of unpleasant concerns and worries.

So he just had to look around then. Think like a Magical Garment Girl. If he was a youthful being of incredible power and occasionally questionable morals, where would he-

His search had only begun when something truly peculiar happened. The payphone began ringing. The sound of it, somewhat muffled by the glass booth, caused Ayumu to jump. Looking up sharply, he settled down when he realized where it was coming from, only to jump again when it struck him that payphones were meant for outgoing calls.

She wouldn't, would she? It seemed so… cliché.

Then again…

Feeling as though he were stepping into an old spy movie, the young man entered the phone booth. He paused momentarily before reaching forwards and grasping the still ringing device.

"Hello…?" He ventured, cradling it next to his ear.

To anyone observing from the outside, what followed would have appeared as a blinding flash of light encompassing the payphone. It would have vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving behind an empty booth. They might have wondered for an instant what had happened to the boy inside, but such thoughts would have quickly disappeared as their memory of the sight was erased by carefully crafted spells.

Ayumu was subject to a vastly different experience. As soon as he spoke into the phone, reality warped around him, twisting in a way that he couldn't even begin to understand. It was as though logic and reason were pulled slightly to the side, causing him to slip through the cracks and free-fall into the sudden vacuum left by their absence. He would have shouted in surprise at the very sudden and exceedingly unwelcome change, but the journey was over before he had a chance to regain his bearings enough to react.

As he blinked away the dazzling effects of his sudden transportation, he found himself face to face with an inverted image of Head Teacher Ariel.

Wait. Inverted?

Without warning, the magic that had been holding him suspended gave out, dropping him a short distance to the floor. With a startled cry, Ayumu crashed down on his head, coming to rest in a heap at the foot of the child-like woman who observed him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Oh my." She remarked, raising a hand to her mouth in order to cover her smile. "I see you still know how to make an entrance Ayumu. Welcome to Villiers."

With only a slight groan, he righted himself, checking over his pack to make sure the food he'd brought had survived.

"I think your teleporter is broken." He commented when he saw everything was all right. "Unless your students normally like to show up upside down that is."

His comment drew a light laugh from the Head Teacher.

"I've had one of my newer students working on that spell." She replied. "She's still working out the details, but seeing as you've arrived in one piece, I can safely say she's improving."

She wore a sunny smile, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"I'm sure she'll be very happy to hear that she's getting a passing grade on it now. You should feel proud for offering your assistance."

"Wait…" Ayumu interjected. "What do you mean by 'in one piece'? Are you saying it doesn't normally work that way?"

Instead of answering, she glanced down at his bag curiously, leaning forwards to check over the contents.

"What do you have there?" She asked. "You brought something to eat along with you during your visit?"

"Yeah." He answered, holding it open so she could get a better look. "The last time Kyoko and I talked, she kind of… mentioned… that she wasn't all that happy about her dining arrangements."

He left out the fact that she'd done so whilst crushing the life out of a helpless can of coffee and wearing an expression that haunted some of his darkest nightmares. By now, he kind of assumed that went without saying.

"I figured that bringing something might at least put her in a better mood."

And make him marginally less likely to end up getting pseudo-killed before the night was over.

Ariel put a finger to her chin in a gesture of mock consideration, looking up at him with a grin.

"You know… this is a prison." She said, returning to her upright posture. "If I didn't know better, I might think you were trying to sneak some kind of contraband in under the cover of a home cooked meal."

Ayumu froze, only now seeing how bringing along his box-dinners could be interpreted as the setup for some kind of breakout. As he hastily made to explain, she cut him off with a quick wave.

"No need to worry." She chuckled. "I was only joking. Now, let's get going. I'm sure miss Kyoko will be very happy to see you again."

He laughed uncertainly, following behind her as she started off. At the very least he was glad that he wouldn't be accused of trying to free the person who'd murdered him. Sure it was a ridiculous thing to be blamed for, but after the events he'd had to deal with in the past, he was growing accustomed to being blamed for some very ridiculous things.

As he followed behind the Head Teacher, Ayumu let his gaze drift left and right with no particular set focus in mind. He didn't bother memorizing any of the details of their surroundings as all of this, with the exception of his time in Kyoko's cell, was going to be wiped from his memory anyway.

"It's quite nice of you to be doing this." Ariel commented, still facing forwards as she led him deeper into the structure. "I don't know many people who'd be willing to visit their own killers like this."

"Well, I did kind of promise her I would." He offered, rubbing the back of his head. It wasn't strictly true. After all, he'd only said he'd remember her, something which didn't have any real commitment behind it. Still, after her confession, which was made only slightly less touching by the sword she'd plunged into his stomach, he'd felt that he could at least drop by for a visit.

"Besides." He added. "All I really did was come up with the idea for it. You're the one who got everything set up."

She gave him a smile over her shoulder.

"Well I think it was a good idea." She assured. "After spending time with you, she's been much better behaved. Enough that we've been able to move her to a nicer cell."

"Oh… um… that's… good?" He said, his words coming out as much a question as a statement.

"It is." The Head Teacher nodded. "Now then…"

She came to a halt, gesturing to an unassuming door on her right.

"This is our stop. Would you like me to come in with you, or would you prefer to go alone? I can assure you that there's no danger, but if you wanted someone else to keep you company I'd be happy to step in."

It was a tempting offer. Facing someone as emotionally unstable as the blonde Magical Garment Girl wasn't something he really wanted to do on his own, but her reaction at the mixer party had left him with no illusions about her tolerance for the Head Teacher's presence.

"Thanks, but I think I can manage." He said, giving a slightly strained grin. "I am a zombie after all."

She offered a humoring laugh in response, stepping aside to let him pass.

"In that case, I'll leave you to it Ayumu Aikawa." She said, turning back the way they'd come. "When you're finished, I'll come pick you up and take you back home. Take care now!"

Her last sentence was spoken with a wave as she departed, leaving him to his own devices.

Facing the door, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Yes, he was about to step into a room with someone who'd tried to kill him in the past. And sort of succeeded he supposed. Yes, he really just wanted to curl up in bed and pass out for the night right about now. No, he wasn't about to back down.

Reaching his free hand forwards, he turned the doorknob and pushed it open, bracing himself for whatever might be waiting on the other side.

It wasn't quite what he was expecting.

Though it was silly, some part of his mind had imagined that he'd bear witness to something like the dungeons seen in old horror movies, complete with cracked stone masonry and Kyoko herself chained to the wall, her eyes burning with the bloodthirsty madness she'd demonstrated so many times before. What he found was decidedly less traumatizing.

The room wasn't all that large. Maybe slightly smaller than his own bedroom. All four walls were colored a neutral beige and looked to be made of some kind of soft material. Slightly reminiscent of a padded cell, though it was less blatant about it. The only piece of furniture was a modest bed in the far corner. Other than that, it was a pleasant, if boring, little chamber.

But of course, it wasn't the room itself that caught his attention.

Sat against the back wall, her eyes glazed over with a faraway expression, was Kyoko. The blonde girl was so zoned out that she had yet to even notice his presence. The moment gave him time to take in her condition.

She was dressed in a loose fitting t-shirt and a pair of pants, both light grey in color. Her feet were bare, and her hair was hanging down just a bit farther than he remembered. Overall though, she appeared to be none the worse for wear. The only thing that really stuck out to him was her blank expression. Just sitting around, staring out at nothing.

_Come on, you can do it._ He thought to himself. _No point coming this far if you can't even work up the courage to get her attention._

Raising his hand to his mouth, he coughed lightly into his palm. The reaction was instantaneous. As soon as he cleared his throat, Kyoko's head snapped back, her eyes darting into focus and her body tensing up.

The reaction lasted right up until she saw who it was. For several long seconds, she just gazed at him in disbelief. He waited for her to come to her senses before going any further.

"Aikawa…?" She questioned, her voice uncertain as though she didn't know if she were merely hallucinating or not. That was something he could relate to.

"Hello Kyoko." He replied. "Long time no see."

She lapsed into silence again, leaving him feeling all the more awkward, and acutely aware that the door was still open behind him.

"I brought some dinner, you know, just in case you were hungry." He offered, holding up the bag and subtly nudging the door shut with his foot. "I don't know if you've eaten or not but-"

"You actually came."

The statement caught him off guard, causing him to stumble over the sentence he'd been forming.

"W-Well yeah." He answered. "I did say I'd remember you didn't I?"

Her head dipped down, hiding her eyes from sight beneath her long strands of hair. Ayumu gulped nervously, unsure if this was a good sign or not. It wasn't until she looked back up wearing an innocent smile that he allowed himself a silent breath of relief.

"Yes, you did." She agreed. "Thank you. I'd be happy to share dinner with you."

The worry that had been building in his chest abated somewhat. The friendly and girlish Kyoko was something he could deal with. Even if he wasn't sure how much of her personality actually existed in that image, it was much easier to get along with than her psychotic other half.

He stepped forwards while she dragged herself into the middle of the room, settling on her knees as he sat down. The two boxed meals were brought out, and he set down one in front of both of them, lifting their tops off and releasing the appetizing aromas locked within.

"Noodles, sushi rolls, rice balls, Aikawa you're spoiling me!" She exclaimed happily, picking out the individual pieces he'd prepared.

"Well, I mean it's not much…" He replied, a little abashed at the praise. He was about to say something else, but her expression stopped him.

"_It is compared to what they've been giving me._" She hissed through clenched teeth. Her smile was still present, but it had taken on a slightly feral quality, revealing her canines just a bit more than was necessary.

"I-I'm glad you like it then! After all, I-I made it just for you." He went on quickly, forcing a chuckle as he tried to avoid shivering in fear. Thankfully her anger wasn't directed at him, and it faded swiftly.

"That's sweet of you." She said. The edge of killing intent disappeared, and her sociable image returned. "Thank you Aikawa, that means a lot coming from you."

Fore the second time since entering the room, Ayumu felt his muscles relax as the moment of anxiety passed. He had to remind himself that she probably couldn't actually do any lasting harm to him in this state. The walls were practically thrumming with magic that was no doubt working to keep her own in check, and the worst her fists could do was leave him with a few cuts and bruises.

A short prayer of thanks was said as the two of them started eating. There was no talking while they tucked in. Kyoko was too absorbed in savoring the food to speak, and Ayumu wasn't at all sure what conversations he could start without taking a wrong step and tripping one of the dark landmines buried beneath the surface of the girl's seemingly friendly exterior.

Once they'd finished up most of what he'd brought, the two of them sat and enjoyed the canned fizzy drinks Ayumu had picked out. He didn't have the slightest idea what she would have liked, so he just went with his gut and chose something that looked flavorful. He must have done something right, as she couldn't seem to decide whether to down he whole thing in one go or to take her time with it.

Taking her final sip of the juice, Kyoko set the can down with a noise of satisfaction.

"I didn't really expect you to show up like this." She said suddenly. "I'd thought that you'd be trying to stay away."

Admittedly, that had been one of his original attitudes regarding her, not that he'd ever say it out loud.

"I figured you could use some company." He shrugged. "After the mixer, you looked like you needed it."

She nodded, a distant smile on her face. It was hard to tell with Kyoko, but he was almost sure that it was a genuine expression.

"So, does that mean you'd want to have another after I've been let out?" She asked playfully, shooting him a glance out of the corner of her eye.

Ayumu, who'd been going for a sip of his drink which was still half full, just about choked on the carbonated liquid. He couldn't prevent a shudder from running through his spine at the thought of the humiliating events leading up to the party, and the painfully awkward things that took place during it.

"Um… I think I'll have to pass on that…" He replied, much to her amusement. "I might be a zombie, but I'm pretty sure another one of those would be the death of me."

"Aww, Aikawa, you make it sound like such a bad thing." She teased, no doubt enjoying his discomfort. "We almost kissed remember? Did you really dislike it that much?"

Despite his best efforts, he was unable to keep his face from burning bright red.

"I… w-well… that is… I-I." He stumbled, already knowing that nothing he could say would work out well for him in the end. "W-Would it be alright if we sat on the bed? M-My knees are starting to get s-sore."

Smooth. Clearly that change of subject would go down in history, and it obviously didn't bring any unwanted implications with it.

"Oh, so _bold_ Aikawa!" She said, giggling into the back of her hand. "Well I guess you did bring me dinner at least."

Damn. It. All.

Resigning himself to the embarrassment that would no doubt be thrown his way for the rest of the night, he rose to his feet while she got up across from him. Unfortunately, it seemed that fate was far from done laughing at his misfortune.

Unbeknownst to Ayumu, Kyoko had spent most of the day seated against the wall, only moving when she wanted to shift to a more comfortable position. That, mixed with her kneeling posture while they'd been eating, had caused one of her legs to fall asleep. A fact she herself wasn't aware of until it was too late.

It was her sudden yelp of surprise that first told him something was wrong. After that, time slowed down to a crawl. Everything happening in slow motion, and he knew all the while that he was helpless to stop them.

He noticed the way her ankle twisted inwards, unable to support her weight thanks to its numbness. He saw her eyes widen and her arms go out as she instinctively tried to balance herself to no avail. And, perhaps most important of all, he spotted the exact moment she tipped forwards instead of backwards. All the while, only one thought made its way through his head.

_Why me?_

Kyoko crashed into him as he closed his eyes, bringing both of them toppling to the ground and forcing the air from his lungs. When he tried to gasp, he found himself unable to breathe as her body weight pressed down onto his chest. What's more, as he opened his eyes again, he found that her surprised face was positioned only an inch above his own. Had it not been for two large… assets… it likely would have been a repeat of his first meeting with Yuki.

Not that such a thing made the moment any less uncomfortable. After all, those same assets were now in the process of crushing his ribcage.

"K-K-Kyoko?" He stammered, heat rushing to his face. "P-Please… can't… breathe…"

Being undead, he didn't technically need air to survive, but it made for a convenient excuse to solve a very immediate issue.

"Ah!"

Had he not known better he might have thought her cheeks had started to blush. She pushed off him quickly, rising to a sitting position. Though his midsection was no longer under pressure, this caused a new issue as it left her more or less sitting in his lap. It was almost like the numerous, exceedingly silly, situations he'd been finding himself in more and more often nowadays. All that was missing was Sera walking in at exactly that moment and finding some way to blame him for the whole thing.

Now wasn't the time to think about that. He needed to find a way out of this before things got any more scandalous.

Either out of Gaia's or her own mercy, Kyoko solved the problem for him by standing back up and stepping away while brushing a hand across her leg in an attempt to restore the blood flow.

"Huh." She remarked. "I guess I've been sitting longer than I thought I'd been."

"R-Right…" He answered, shakily getting to his feet. If she wasn't going to comment on it any further, that was just fine with him.

Apparently unbothered by the accidental embrace, she wasted no time in stepping over to the bed and taking a seat.

"Come on Aikawa." She called, patting the space next to her. "This is what you wanted wasn't it?"

"Please don't say it like that…" He muttered under his breath, to quiet to hear. "You make me sound like a pervert…"

Somewhat self-consciously, he made his way over to her side and took the offered space. The mattress sagged slightly beneath their combined weight, squeaking in protest as they settled in. It was immediately apparent that the bed was designed more for convenience than comfort as one of the springs jabbed his backside through the fabric.

Sighing lightly, Ayumu rubbed the small of his back. The adrenaline was starting to die down, and its absence, mixed with the food he'd just eaten, was taking its toll on his energy reserves.

"Feeling tired?" She questioned, noticing his reaction.

"A bit." He admitted. "But I'm all right. I'm used to staying up late at this point."

"Because you're a zombie?" She asked, a teasing note entering her voice.

"Something like that."

"What's the matter?" She probed, tapping him softly with an elbow. Somehow the simple gesture managed to feel just a little bit threatening. "You're acting almost like you don't want to talk to me."

"Uh…" It wasn't so much that he didn't want to talk, as it was that he had no idea what topic to bring up. Knowing there was no way to avoid it, he opted for the direct approach. "What did you want to talk about?"

She leaned back, giving the question some consideration while she observed him.

"Tell me about what you've been doing." She said finally. "I want to know what its like outside. Nobody really gives me any straight answers in here."

A touch of wariness entered his mind at the request. He knew from experience that she could be highly manipulative at times, and even if that wasn't the case this time, he was aware that her emotional state was strained at best and saying the wrong thing in the wrong way could provoke a very dramatic reaction. Still, she'd asked so he would answer.

For the next hour and a half, Ayumu talked with her about the way his life had been shaping up after their last meeting. How they still had yet to track down Chris and restore Haruna's powers. How his mind had been wiped and restored. How he and Sera had to get more creative when dealing with the occasional Megalo attacks. How Eu and his friends continued to keep his life interesting with all sorts of strange developments. Kyoko would occasionally interrupt to ask a question, but for the most part she was content to merely listen.

As he recounted the events he was starting to just consider normal everyday things, Ayumu was struck by how easy it was to do so. Not just because of the subject, but because of who he was talking to. If anyone had told him he'd be speaking casually to the homicidal girl after their first fight, he'd have booked them a spot in the nearest mental institution.

Yet, here he was. Holding a conversation with his own killer as though it were something he did all the time. Were it not for their shared past, and the fact that he had to keep a careful eye on her reactions at all time, it might have even been a fun experience. As it was, it ended up being much more bearable than he'd expected.

When he'd said all he could think to say and the quiet returned, he found Kyoko staring ahead at the opposite wall with a distant expression on her face. It wasn't her childish persona, nor was it the vicious femme-fatal she turned into whenever she lashed out. It was something between those two extremes.

"It must be nice." She commented, her voice taking on an airy tone. "To have people around who care about you that much."

Normally he would have stayed silent as there wasn't much he could say to that without causing some kind of bad reaction, but something in the way she spoke prompted him to act without thinking.

"Hey, don't talk like you won't know what it's like." He said. "I'm sure you'll be able to make plenty of friends when you're released."

It took several moments for what he'd just done to sink in as the two of them stared blankly at each other.

"What do you mean by that…?" She asked, an edge of suspicion in her tone. Ayumu mentally kicked himself for diving headfirst into this situation. Now he had to come up with reasoning for something he didn't understand himself.

"Well… I mean… you're a nice person to be around…"

When she wasn't getting stab-happy.

"You've got a nice sense of humor…"

Which might have been just a touch too much on the sadistic side.

"And you're really attractive."

Which- Wait. Did he just…?

Oh shit.

For the first time in as long as he'd known her, Ayumu had caught Kyoko off guard. She blinked at him, her mouth hanging half open.

"You think I'm attractive?" She asked.

"Well, yeah." He answered, trying to play it off as though it were no big deal and that it totally wasn't making him genuinely fear for his un-life. It was a little surprising she had to ask really. She'd been using her beauty to twist him up during their last encounter.

She was quiet for a long while, looking as though she were puzzling something out in her head.

"Aikawa…" She began. "Are we friends?"

The question left him speechless, as he honestly had no answer to it.

Were they? His first instinct was to shout no. She was a mass murderer, and the one who'd ended his life no less. Logic and reason told him that he could never consider someone like that his friend.

At the same time, she'd shown some measure of change. Perhaps not outright regret, but a desire to be different from the way she'd been while in service to the King of the Night. She even had some promise in that regard. When she wasn't wearing her mask of innocence, or losing herself to the volatile emotions she had so much trouble controlling, she was someone almost pleasant to be around.

On top of that, all he had to do was look around to know he couldn't rightly deny it to himself. He'd come to visit her in her prison cell, bringing a homemade meal for the both of them to share. Had it been any other girl in any other place it might have counted as a date.

"I guess we are, if you want to be." He admitted, slightly awed by the revelation.

Her expression shifted to one he couldn't quite read before opening into a small smile.

"I think… I'd like that." She said, leaving a warm feeling he didn't normally equate with her in his chest.

He didn't have long to think about it as she suddenly turned to face him, drawing one leg up onto the bed.

"Aikawa, would you mind closing your eyes for a moment?" She asked, something in her eyes causing him to go on edge. "There's something I wanted to try."

"Does it involve dismemberment?" He questioned warily, noting the fact that he was currently well within arm's reach.

Her mouth twitched in what could have been an amused or annoyed smile.

"No." She assured. "But it was something I wanted to try with you. And I do mean you specifically."

She must have seen his hesitation as she drew back on her girlish mask, giving a giggle he doubted she'd ever made naturally and smiling up at him.

"I promise it won't hurt."

Far from comforting.

Given the topic of their immediate conversation, he somewhat doubted her intentions were harmful in nature but it paid to be careful. Especially when magical girls with incredible powers were involved. What could she realistically do to him if he were to let his guard down? The answer; not a whole lot as she was right now.

"Okay, but if this is some kind of trick I'm going to be very annoyed." He said, shutting his eyes.

"You worry too much." She chided happily. He could hear her shifting into a different position on the bed, but could only guess what the purpose was.

For a brief span, nothing happened. Ayumu was starting to wonder what she was up to, and was just about to voice his concern on the matter, when something entirely unexpected occurred.

Soft, warm, and with just a hint of sweetness, he felt her mouth press against his.

His eyes shot open instantly, the shock of the unexpected sensation causing his heart to leap into his throat. The suspicions about what was going on were confirmed as he got an extreme close up view of Kyoko's face, her own eyes shut as though savoring the feeling of their conjoined lips.

Oh. That's right. He should probably do something about that.

Ayumu abruptly drew back, breaking off the kiss while sputtering in surprise. He instinctively drew away from the girl, holding a hand up to his mouth as though to confirm that they'd just done what he'd thought they did.

For her part, Kyoko held her posture for several seconds after he'd broken away. When she did move, she wore a somewhat satisfied smile. The corner of her tongue poked out of her mouth and ran across part of her upper lip.

"That was nicer than I'd thought it would be." She remarked, more to herself than to him.

"You kissed me." Ayumu stated, a strange mixture of accusation and disbelief coloring his voice. "You just… you kissed me."

She tilted her head to the side, gazing at him through half-lidded eyes.

"Yeah." She confirmed with a slightly defensive tone. "What of it?"

"I-I… y-you, why?" He managed to force out. It wasn't so much that he was angry or afraid, as it was that he was thoroughly confused.

All right, maybe he was a little afraid too. He doubted Kyoko would ever stop scaring him completely no matter how much time they spent together.

"You remember what I told you the last time don't you?" She asked. "I meant it. I really do love you. I wanted… I guess I wanted to see for myself how honest I had been."

She shifted slightly, running her fingers across the bed they were sitting on.

"Did you not like it?"

That wasn't fair. Ayumu twitched in place as he found himself unable to voice any definite response.

Did he like it? He wasn't entirely sure. It wasn't like he had a lot of other kisses to measure it up against. After all, the only other time he'd kissed a girl was with Yuki, and that had been a complete accident. Falling back on a strategy that he'd trusted throughout his new undead life, and one which admittedly held a shaky success record, he went with his gut.

"I didn't dislike it." He answered, now mostly recovered.

"You didn't?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He got the distinct impression that she was happy with his answer. "Then… would you like to do it again?"

And there went his composure again. Bye bye in-control Ayumu. Hardly even knew you.

"A-Again?" he parroted.

There was so much wrong with this situation that his severely rattled mind couldn't hope to pick over them all. He felt like he was committing some sort of betrayal to Eu and the others by not outright refusing her offer.

Slow down. Just slow down and examine the facts. On one hand, he was familiar with being Kyoko's plaything. Whether it was from her jumping into his bed while wearing nothing but her undergarments, or 'accidentally' brushing her chest up against his arm while sitting just a bit closer than was necessary, he'd been subject to her whims during the whole time she'd been staying at his home. She knew that her figure was one a lot of girls would kill for, and she had no reserves about using that to her advantage.

On the other, this didn't feel the same as her mockingly blatant seductions. She was asking permission. That by itself was several steps above the borderline molesting he'd been subject to previously. She was one who normally took what she wanted, so the idea that she'd ask consent first meant that this was likely a bit more serious than just another one of her games.

Ayumu grit his teeth. What was he doing? This was ridiculous wasn't it?

Something of his thoughts must have shown through on his face as her shoulders visibly slumped. She looked disappointed, but not overly surprised.

"I don't suppose you'd consider just pretending I was one of your other girls would you?" She asked, her voice resigned.

He was taken aback by the request. Not only by the fact that she assumed he was this intimate with the others, but the idea that she was willing to let herself be overwritten by another just to get closer to him. Did she really want this that badly?

He only had to look into her eyes to get his answer. Yes. She did. She was dead serious about it. This wasn't just another one of her attempts to get a rise out of him by making him uncomfortable. She actually did want this with a burning desire. And he…

No! This wasn't right! Think of Eu, her warm and generous presence always there to help him no matter how hard things got.

Think of the girl sitting in front of him, her face etched with the pains of loneliness that she was condemned to thanks to the mistakes she'd made.

Think of Tomonori, to whom he was unintentionally married thanks to the strange practices of her clan.

Think of Kyoko, with whom he shared a terrible and unique bond. Both having taken and changed each other's lives.

He couldn't-

He could-

This wasn't-

It was-

His head was spinning, but it was his choice to make. He could say no. He could walk away. But then… he could have walked away at any time, couldn't he?

Heart hammering away in his chest, he didn't back away, but moved closer. Her head tilted up, a questioning look on her face which turned to surprise as his hand shakily moved to cover hers.

"You don't have to pretend to be someone else." He said, gulping down his rising nervousness. "I would never ask you to. I like you better… when you're not pretending."

Closing his eyes, he leaned in for the kiss.

* * *

Head Teacher Ariel turned her head curiously towards the hallway that led to Kyoko's cell. The spells she'd put in place to monitor both her prisoner and Ayumu's vital signs were acting up, reading an increase in both of their heart rates. Contrary to what she'd suspected though, there was no sign of pain or fear beyond an elevated stress level, ruling out the possibility that a fight had broken out between the two of them.

"Oh dear Ayumu Aikawa." Ariel said to herself, a knowing smile on her face. "Just what have you gotten yourself into now?"

* * *

He was on fire. Every inch of his skin was burning. In a lot of ways it was like being exposed to direct sunlight, but these flames didn't cause him pain. Quite the opposite in fact.

He was kissing Kyoko.

His mind was still struggling to keep up with that fact. He was sitting in a magical prison cell, kissing the last girl on earth he'd ever thought he's have an intimate encounter with. He might have been undead, but his body apparently hadn't gotten the memo that dead people didn't get aroused. Maybe it was some sort of compensation seeing as dead people weren't supposed to feel pain either.

This time she was the one to pull back, breaking their contact in order to take a breath. Her nails were digging into his shoulder and one of her legs was draped across his knees. His hands were wrapped around her waist, holding onto her while the two of them indulged in each other's company. It was so surreal that he was tempted to pinch himself just to be sure this was actually happening.

He wasn't left to wonder long as she quickly pushed forwards once again, locking his mouth with her own and resuming what they'd been doing only a moment ago.

It was electric. There was no other word Ayumu could think of to describe the feeling. It was like all his nerves had been thrown into overdrive, all become incredibly aware of the girl in his arms. The feel of her. The smell of her. The taste of her. It was enough to make any kind of conscious thought a near impossibility.

As though hearing his inner musings about her taste, Kyoko took that opportunity to deepen their kiss and slip her tongue in between his teeth. He instinctively started to resist her intrusion, driven by the automatic reactions that had been drilled into his head for quite some time no, only to realize that he no longer needed to. Once that thought made itself known, he stopped fighting her and returned the kiss in kind. A low sound that was something between a triumphant hiss and a moan bubbled up from the back of her throat, tickling the inside of his mouth.

Though neither of them were all that experienced in what they were doing, Kyoko had a direct hunger to her actions that both frightened and excited him. The longer their toying went on, the more she seemed to want, and he found himself wanting it right along with her.

There was a brief moment of vertigo as Ayumu found himself being pushed down onto the bed, his front facing the roof while she positioned herself above him. Her hair hung down over her face, casting it in an alluring shadow underneath the light given off from the ceiling lamp. Her eyes were the only things left unveiled, drawing him into their twin depths where a flicker of crimson danced at the edge of his perception.

"Aikawa…" She purred, lowering her face until it was only a hairsbreadth from his own. "I don't think I can control myself anymore. I need this…"

He was about to ask her what she meant by that, but his question was answered as her fingers hooked underneath his shirt and quickly yanked it upwards. His mind too fogged over by their actions to stop her, he found himself topless as it was pulled up and over his head before being tossed aside. The grin that took shape on her features as his abdomen was exposed was nothing short of terrifying.

"Oh Aikawa…" She whispered airily. "You have no idea…"

She lowered herself down, positioning her head above his chest. As he craned his neck to see what she was doing, he felt her place a tender kiss right next to his heart.

His breath hitched, fingers clenching at the bed sheets as a shot of semi-panicked adrenaline shot through his system. Her eyes drank in his reaction, smiling again as she placed another kiss on the spot where her sword had taken pierced him.

"Not even a scar." She commented, running her fingers across his pectoral muscles.

"Kyoko… I don't think… you should do that…"

Part of him wanted to throw her off, to keep her the hell away from things that brought up such gruesome memories. Another part however, wanted very badly for her to continue. To see what would come of teasing the wounds of the past in such a way.

Much to his relief and disappointment however, she sat back upright, straddling his hips as she had after falling on him earlier.

"You're right." She giggled, a glint of something just a little to eager flashing in her eyes. "It isn't fair for me to be the only one who gets a show."

He saw what she was about to do before her hands had even started moving. He forgot how to breathe as her hands gripped the edges of her top and pulled it off, giving him a full view of her midriff and ample chest, held in place by a simple white bra which looked to be as standard issue as her prison fatigues.

"So… like what you see?" She teased, already knowing the answer based off the way his face had turned a deep shade of scarlet. Still grinning like a predatory cat, she took a hold of both his wrists and began guiding his hands upwards. "I think you know what to do from here."

She left his fingers resting on the straps at her back. She wanted him to unhook it.

He hadn't thought it possible a little while ago, but his heart was racing about ten times faster than it had been. Had he not been a zombie, he'd have been highly concerned about it exploding inside his chest. As it was, he focused instead on fiddling with the clasp until his efforts bore fruit. As he pulled, she gave a shrugging gesture and the bra fell away, leaving her breasts uncovered.

Despite what Sera often accused him of, Ayumu didn't consider himself _that_ much of a pervert. Sure he had a few moments where he said or did things that were highly inappropriate, but most of the time he was as reasonable and respectful as could be. Just because he had the occasional moment of weakness didn't make him some sort of date-sim lecher.

He was very glad she couldn't see him right now, as she would most certainly damn him and he'd be totally unable to dispute her words.

Ayumu couldn't help but stare. Being unnaturally cute or beautiful seemed to be a reoccurring theme with Magical Garment Girls (him being the notable exception of course) but even knowing that left him totally unprepared for the sight.

"Are you going to just sit there?" Kyoko demanded, resting one hand on his chest while placing the other on her hip. "Or do I have to do everything for you?"

Her words, laced with an undeniable challenge, awakened the pride that he normally kept mostly buried. The refusal to be upstaged, and the willingness to do what he had to do in order to get things done.

Steeling himself against her alluring form, he brought his hands to the side of her belly, grasping it on either side and slowly dragging them up towards her chest. He could feel her give a shiver of pleasure as his fingers crossed the sensitive skin, and she even let out a low gasp as he drew close to his goal.

Putting his own hesitance aside, he grasped her silky mounds and worked them in his palms.

He must have been doing something right as her body bucked forwards, a moan being forcibly suppressed at the back of her throat. Her face was steadily growing redder as her blush deepened. Inwardly he smirked in triumph at the reaction, but he kept that hidden while he increased the tempo of his movements, squeezing, rubbing, and kneading her sensitive flesh while slowly working his way closer to the twin peaks that rested on them.

She must not have seen it coming, as the moment his fingers took a hold of her nipples she jerked up with a surprisingly girlish yelp, almost falling backwards in her haste.

For an instant, she remained just out of his reach panting lightly. She didn't stay away long however, as a devilish expression crossed her features and she leaned back down onto him, pressing her lips against his in a ravenous kiss.

"So that's how you want to it, huh?" She goaded, whispering directly into his ear. "Two can play at that game."

He didn't get a chance to brace himself as one of her hands reached back and slipped underneath his pants. Despite still being separated by the cloth of his underwear, the feeling of her fingers running across his the base of his lower member was enough to spark a miniature convulsion in his already over-stimulated body.

"H-H-Hey! W-What- Y-You-"

If the look on her face was anything to go by, she took no small amount of enjoyment from his inability to form any sort of recognizable sentence. Ayumu was far from beaten however, and she'd put herself at a disadvantage by taking the top position. As she was, she needed to use one arm to prop herself up where as both of his were free.

Determined to keep pace with Kyoko's advances, his left hand returned to her bosom, toying with her hanging orbs while his right snaked down past her stomach. Her breath stuttered when she notices his movements, but she didn't attempt to stop or hinder him. Instead, she leaned down and kissed him again while his hand slipped underneath her pants and began exploring the length of her panties.

It was an intense feeling. While their mouths were connected she was rubbing up and down his length, and he was returning the favor. He alternated between spreading his fingers out to stimulate all of her inner thigh and keeping them focused on her center, directing his efforts towards her ridges.

The process continued for several more minutes as the two of them writhed under each other's touch, breaking up the sounds of restrained moans and gasps when they moved to kiss. Something was changing however, and the first that Ayumu saw of it was enough to warn him that things would be speeding out of control very quickly.

"Aikawa…" Her voice was heavy with desire, bringing him out of the spell that he'd found himself under during their toying. "I can't wait any longer."

All at once, Kyoko's hand left his member and he found the warmth of her body leave him as she pushed herself away. His first concern was that he'd done something wrong and caused her to draw back, but it became immediately apparent that wasn't the case. The near-manic light burning in her eyes was enough to convince him that she was far from finished even as she pulled off her pants right in front of him.

"I've been waiting for this for too long."

Without hesitation, she repeated the process with her underwear, dropping the last article of clothing off to one side and exposing her nether regions. Her unmarked entrance peeked down at him, topped by a small patch of blonde pubic hair on her otherwise perfectly smooth body.

He didn't get a chance to regain his wits before she turned and dropped down on her hands and knees, leaving her backside facing him directly. She turned her head to look over her shoulder, fixing him with a gaze that was almost as intimidating as one of her mental breakdowns.

"Hurry up… Hurry up and do it."

It was like a face full of cold water for Ayumu. Their toying and teasing had left a haze over his mind, blocking out any real thought about what he was doing. Seeing her positioned like this, urging him to move and break the last barrier in their conjoined act, was enough to shock him back to reality.

He couldn't do this. He truly couldn't. He shouldn't have even let himself get this far in the first place. Why hadn't he refused? Why hadn't he turned her down at the very first opportunity?

The answer that came to his mind shocked him almost as much as her action.

He liked Kyoko. A lot. More than he would have thought possible after everything she'd done both to him and to those around him. It wasn't the same as what he felt for his other friends. He doubted it physically could be with their past, but the fact remained that he couldn't deny how much he wanted this as well.

He wanted to make her feel good. To make her cry out, not in pain for revenge, but in pleasure for the both of them. He could no longer pretend that she was merely messing with his head. He had an equal stake in their actions.

"Aikawa…" She said, her voice a strange mixture of a frustrated growl and a desperate plea.

"Yeah." Ayumu replied, getting up finally. "Just a second."

It was a strangely liberating feeling to remove the last of his clothing and leave it in the now fairly large pile on the floor. He moved forwards until he was positioned just behind her, grasping the curve of her hips to steady himself. Under his touch, he felt her entire body shiver.

He shuddered himself as his erect member was leveled even with her lower folds, the tip just barely brushing her skin. Both of them held their breath as the moment hung suspended in the air, lengthening their mutual pause.

Closing his eyes, Ayumu pushed forwards.

The first thing he realized upon entering was just how good it actually felt. In his private moments, he'd sometimes fantasized about what it would be like to engage in intercourse for the first time. None of his expectations lived up to the reality. The warmth, the wetness, and the pressure all went above and beyond anything he'd imagined.

His enjoyment however was swiftly brought to a halt as he felt something tear inside of her and heard the muffled cry she gave off as she bit her tongue. He stopped, frozen, at the sound. From what he'd heard in the past, it was normal for it to hurt the first time, but some part of him couldn't help but worry that he'd made a terrible mistake and genuinely harmed her.

"Kyoko?" He asked hesitantly, unsure if he should pull out of if that would just make matters worse. "Are you all right?"

She muttered something he couldn't quite hear under her breath.

"What was that?"

"I said… don't stop…" She gasped, her face hidden from sight as she dug her nails into the bed. "Don't stop… Don't you dare stop!"

Her half-threat half-encouragement was enough to convince him that this was what she wanted. Working based mostly off what felt natural, he slowly pulled back before pushing forwards once more.

Though inexperienced, the two of them quickly fell into a rhythm, timing their movements with each thrust. It was hard to do anything else really. Even if he'd wanted to, the simple fact that his body was driving him to take her like this would have made it incredibly difficult.

In and out. Back and forth. All the while, the walls of her flesh squeezing and pulling him as breathless noises of pleasure ushered from her lips. It was mind numbing. Intoxicating. Delicious in ways he couldn't even begin to describe. In that moment, all that existed in the world was himself, Kyoko, and the act of their love-making.

His speed increased steadily as he felt her start to push back, driving herself against him with each push as though trying to force his manhood as deep as it could go. He responded by letting his hands slide up and down her sides, rubbing across the ticklish skin of her belly and brushing just beneath her chest. With each drive, a new surge of ecstasy would careen through his system, forcing him closer and closer to the edge.

It was that nearness, that single step from the brink that caused him to suddenly slow.

"Hold on a second." He urged when she directed a demanding glare over her shoulder at the interruption.

It might have been the romantic in him, or perhaps the simple fact that he'd seen too many movies recommended by Orito, but he didn't want to finish in their current state. He wanted it to be more meaningful.

Wordlessly, he pulled out and brought his hands around to guide her over. Kyoko clearly wasn't happy about having to pause, but she complied readily and was soon on her back with her head resting on the pillow. She blinked up at him, her chest rising and falling with each breath as he moved back towards her womanhood.

Now that she understood the cause of the delay, she looked even more eager to be going.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and he pressed inside her once again, resuming their intimate dance from their new position. It wasn't as easy to move as it had been when she'd been on her knees, but now the sheer amount of stimulation was significantly higher.

Their bodies pressed together in a heavy embrace, rocking with each movement and causing the bed to creak beneath them. One of her legs had locked around his own where as her other one had pressed heavily down into the mattress, giving her the leverage to meet each of his drives.

"A-Aikawa…!"

Hearing her say his name was like a potent aphrodisiac, charging his already peaked out senses even further. As he struggled to keep up the momentum of their pattern, he couldn't help but respond in kind.

"Kyoko…!"

"Aikawa…!"

He was exhausted, but every cell in his body was urging him onwards as something built up inside of him. Barring an apocalyptic-level Megalo attack, there was very little which could have torn him away from her side in that moment.

"Kyoko!"

"Ai-Ai-Ayumu!"

Mere moments away from reaching his peak, he suddenly felt her inner walls clamp down on him hard. She pulled him forwards, looking as though she were going for another kiss, but instead buried her face into his shoulder.

And her teeth into his skin.

She convulsed beneath him, her scream of pleasure muffled by his collarbone. The sudden pressure all around his shaft, her throes of euphoria, and the sharp sting of being bitten all proved too much to take for Ayumu, and he felt himself be thrown over the edge.

His body was flooded with pleasure as they rode out the climax. Every muscle in his body was tensed to the limit, leaving him both frozen and blinded by the overwhelming sensory input. All he knew in that moment was how much he loved being this close to her.

Eventually, the tide of the moment ebbed away, taking with it all the energy he'd possessed during their bout. Dizzy and exhausted, he slumped to the side, drawing out of her and collapsing on the bed. Both of them were panting, their bodies still roiling in the afterglow. For a long while, Ayumu allowed himself to simply drift. His mind focusing on nothing in particular as he held Kyoko close, enjoying the contact of her skin, slick with sweat from their exertions. The pain in his shoulder had been reduced to a dull throb, and right now it was one of the only things that kept him grounded in reality.

Feeling the girl next to him draw up to his chest with a beautiful sigh, he closed his eyes.

* * *

As Ayumu finished dressing himself once again, he found it increasingly difficult to resist the temptation to simply lay back and sleep right there. Prison or not, he was fatigued beyond belief, and spending the night with Kyoko was proving to be a highly appealing notion.

But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. The others were still waiting for him back home, and though he desperately wanted to lose himself in the blonde's embrace once more, he couldn't simply leave them wondering where he'd gone.

Rustling from the bed sheets prompted him to turn his head, revealing two bright, tired eyes looking towards him.

"You're leaving?" Kyoko asked. She was still naked, and edge of disappointment in her voice made it inhumanly difficult to resist.

But resist he did.

"Yeah." He confirmed, offering an apologetic smile. "I've gotta get home. I wasn't expecting to be staying this long, and if I'm not back soon the others will start to worry."

She gave a noncommittal hum, moving lethargically until she was propped up on one elbow.

"Aikawa…?" She ventured, her voice tinged with a kind of vulnerability he'd never heard in it before. "Can you promise me something…?"

"Promise what?" He asked.

"Can you come back… to visit me again sometime?"

There was no more awkward pause at the request. Leaning forwards, he gave her a soft kiss on the lips before answering.

"I promise that I'll come back." He said. "I'll be with you as long as you need me to be."

No matter how difficult a commitment that might be to keep, the radiant smile on her face made it worth the effort. As they said their final goodbyes for the night, a wonderfully warm feeling took hold in his chest. He was tired, he was a little roughed up, and he wasn't likely to get much more sleep tonight, but none of that mattered to him right then. He held onto the pleasant feeling of contentment, and that was enough.

It stayed with him as Ariel guided him back from the Villiers. It stayed with him during his isolated walk home. It stayed with him even as the crisp night air put a chill into his still somewhat sweaty body.

It stayed up until he was about to open the front door, which just so happened to be the very same moment when the reality of his situation came down on him like a sledgehammer being wielded by a train moving a light speed.

He'd just had sex… with Kyoko…

He'd just had _sex_ with Kyoko!

WHAT THE FUCK WAS HE THINKING!

Had anyone seen him standing in front of the doorway right then, they likely would have called an ambulance for the spasming, twitching victim of what must have been a simultaneous seizure, heart attack, and stroke all at once. It was a wonder he managed to stay on his feet with how badly he was twitching.

He'd just had sex with Kyoko…

Psycho-slasher-confess-her-love-while-driving-a-sword-through-his-gut-Kyoko

And what's more, he'd agreed to _go back!_

Why had he done that!? Sure, he couldn't pretend that he hated her, or even that he didn't like her, but surely that was going a bit far! It wasn't like he was in love with her, was it?

Was it?

He violently shook his head, dispelling the distressing thoughts. His mind and heart were too muddled to think about that right now. What he needed was a nice quiet place to curl up and sleep this off. In the morning when he could think straight he'd worry about the results of his actions. Right now, he just needed to get his sleepwear on, lie down in bed and-

"You're late."

The remark, spoken the very moment he stepped in the door, just about made him jump out of his skin. Sera and Eu were standing in the entrance to the living room, and though they didn't look overly accusing, their scrutiny was enough to turn his blood to ice.

"Haruna already went to bed, but mistress Hellscythe insisted we wait up on you."

"S-S-Sorry about that." He stammered, frantically scrambling to remember what fabricated truth he'd told them earlier. "The project went a lot longer than I'd expected."

Though Eu's face didn't change, something in her posture gave off the effect of an amused and relieved smile. The message on her notepad went to reinforce that.

'Welcome home.'

'I'm glad you're all right.'

He grinned back, too tired to even fantasize about what imaginary-Eu might have done to convey the message.

"Thanks." He said. "I appreciate it. If it's okay with you, I think I'm going to go pass out for-"

"Stop!"

The order was spoken with such authoritative conviction that his entire body locked up automatically. Not giving him a chance to wonder what the cause of her outburst was, Sera stalked up to him and reached for something on his neck. There was a brief moment of panic where he feared she'd somehow noticed the mostly-healed bite-mark on his shoulder, but her hand drew back to reveal something else. Something far, far worse.

Held between her thumb and forefinger was a single strand of long, blonde hair.

Ayumu's brain, detecting an immanent threat to its survival, ramped up into overdrive in an attempt to come up with some kind of excuse that would save him. The strand was a bit long to be Yuki's but maybe if he-

"This belongs to Kyoko." Sera stated, her eyes narrowing in dark suspicion.

There were many ways he could have reacted to that, but Ayumu made the mistake of blurting out what was, quite possibly, the single worst thing he could have possibly said.

"You can tell that just by looking?"

If ever there were a time he cursed his near-immortality, it was right then. Sera's eyes were twin pools of molten hellfire, glaring down at him with intensity strong enough to reduce a mountain to molten slag. Had he been a normal human being, he'd most certainly have been struck dead on the spot. Sadly he wasn't nearly so lucky.

Behind her, Eu gave him an inquisitive look, all the more damning for her lack of outright condemnation.

"Explain!" Sera demanded, her voice causing a rumble of primal terror to shake through the very fabric of reality.

Ayumu gulped. He didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't even know if he was going to live to see the sunrise. There was one thing he did know though.

It was going to be a VERY long night.


End file.
